Best .22 for youth initiation?

My daughter has a pink rascal in the safe waiting for her. They make it with a laminate stock that is really nice and I truly wish I had gone that route as I don't picture HER children getting the pink plastic gun handed down whereas the wood stock, they would. Also, If someone would make an adult sized stock for the rascal I would lug that out every time i go shooting because it is a damn fun little gun to shoot.
 
MotorwayRacer said:
For kids you should also take into consideration lead exposure. Choose copper plated rounds and proper hygiene after shooting (i.e. wash hands)
I saw a father and son shooting lead rounds awhile back, watched the kid reach into a bag of chips and stuff his face f:P:
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Not advocating it, but when I was a kids had a friend that didn't have pockets, he'd keep the lead pellets in his mouth. He's fine. One of his kids is honour roll and the other is star athlete.
 
MiG25 said:
Not advocating it, but when I was a kids had a friend that didn't have pockets, he'd keep the lead pellets in his mouth. He's fine. One of his kids is honour roll and the other is star athlete.
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I believe you, some people smoke a pack of cigarettes a day and live to 90. The magic sky friend works in mysterious ways!
 
Haven't seen this one mentioned, but how about a Chiappa Little Badger? Nice, small, lightweight, can easily add a red dot, laser, or whatever to it. Single shot with peep sight just as the Rascal. Fun and easy to use gun. Can always use it when grown up as a backpack gun, so may always remain with the recipient.
 
For more detail on why it is that we say "Savage Rascal" (by name, instead of the competition), see these related threads:

"Daddy Gun" Recommendation
<https://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/1565437-quot-Daddy-Gun-quot-Recommendation>

Savage Rascal
<https://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/1521307-Savage-Rascal>

Who's cut down a rimfire stock for a youth?
<https://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/1525497-Who-s-cut-down-a-rimfire-stock-for-a-youth>
 
neos said:
Haven't seen this one mentioned, but how about a Chiappa Little Badger? Nice, small, lightweight, can easily add a red dot, laser, or whatever to it. Single shot with peep sight just as the Rascal. Fun and easy to use gun. Can always use it when grown up as a backpack gun, so may always remain with the recipient.
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The Rascal has a shorter length of pull, and weighs less. While smaller than many, the badger is still built for adults not kids. I'm planning on trying my kids Rascal as a pack gun, if I'm not satisfied I might go to the badger.
 
My very first gun was a Cooey single shot and it was fine until we went out with a large group and all my friends that were there had
22 pump actions, lever actions, semi auto's and bolt action repeaters. I never shot that Cooey again and went out and bought a semi auto 22.
Now 35-40 years later I do wish I still had my little Cooey but I still wouldn't shoot it, I have a bolt action repeater, a semi auto and I just finally got
a BL-22, next will be a 22 pump and maybe another little Cooey single shot.

I guess what I'm trying to say is if you want to keep them into shooting buy them a cool to shoot gun right away or upgrade them fairly quickly from a single shot.
 
I have 3 young boys and they're all learning on a Savage Rascal. My 3yro can rack the bolt, load it (with my guidance), shoot and eject. I find the Cooey's too heavy for the younger kids. The Rascal is a good choice to start with as a single shooter and low cost so you don't have to worry about getting it banged up while teaching them. Mine shoots lasers at 100yds using iron sights and shooting CCI SV or CCI Quiets.

For progression you can scope as they grow into it, or you can look into CZ 452 Youth or CZ 455 Youth. My 11yro is also able to handle and shoot my scoped CZ 512 Tactical. They have several guns in their name that they will have to progress into as they grow up.
 
The Good Wife is a wee girl, a tad under 5 ft. When she started shooting, got her a Savage Cub, basically the forerunner of the Rascal. Easy for her to handle, smooth action and very accurate. The peep sights are really easy to use.
Our Grandaughter ( she's a tiny one too ) started out at 6 with a Stevens Crack Shot. The Cub was too big for her but that'll be her next step. The Crack Shot was the same kind of 22 that was my Late Father-In-Law's first rifle so there's a little bit of tradition there. She's quite touched that her Great Grampa, whom she never met, used a similar rifle.
I have a Little Badger as a "grouse and bunny" gun but as others have said, it's really an Adult sized gun.
 
Iron Glove said:
The Good Wife is a wee girl, a tad under 5 ft. When she started shooting, got her a Savage Cub, basically the forerunner of the Rascal. Easy for her to handle, smooth action and very accurate. The peep sights are really easy to use.
Our Grandaughter ( she's a tiny one too ) started out at 6 with a Stevens Crack Shot. The Cub was too big for her but that'll be her next step. The Crack Shot was the same kind of 22 that was my Late Father-In-Law's first rifle so there's a little bit of tradition there. She's quite touched that her Great Grampa, whom she never met, used a similar rifle.
I have a Little Badger as a "grouse and bunny" gun but as others have said, it's really an Adult sized gun.
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I love the "Boy's [Girl's] Rifles" but I find the stocks aren't that great for teaching on. My then-5 year old's first .22 outing was with my mint 14-1/2.

https://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/1225809-Stevens-Little-Scout-14-1-2-in-action
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But since then, I got her a Crickett single shot mainly because the comb sits higher and it's easier for her to aim. But the manual cocking (a-la Winchester 67A) can be a little frustrating for 'em.

My older daughter has now outgrown the pink Rascal I got her for her 5th, but that was (IMHO) almost the perfect rifle for that sort of thing. Easy operation, and accurate. LOP seems just right, comb is decent. She could hit everything in front of her with that thing.

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I recently bought a Cooey 39 for a lady friend who wants her daughters to learn to shoot. Turned out it had a mismatched bolt and would not close on a round. Swapped it with the seller for a Lakefield single shot, a Cooey on steroids. If they lose interest after they discover boys, it's not a lot of money invested and they can always come back later. I always liked girls who could shoot myself, as long as they didn't outshoot me!

I like the "#### to shoot" function after closing the bolt, a pretty good safety feature. I'll make sure that they know how to safely uncock it as well with that big bolt knob.
 
Savage Rascal also. My daughter had hers since she was 5 and loves it vary easy to use and safe. Put Absa sweet 22 scope on it and she's a little sniper now haha.
 
I have a four year old and I’ve had him to the range. He’s pulled the trigger on my 30cal and 12ga, and I’m itching to get him a gun he can manage himself.

How did you guys instil the gravity of a firearm. That they can kill things and it’s permanent?
 
gottspeed said:
I have a four year old and I’ve had him to the range. He’s pulled the trigger on my 30cal and 12ga, and I’m itching to get him a gun he can manage himself. How did you guys instil the gravity of a firearm. That they can kill things and it’s permanent?
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Taking them hunting works.

"Why did we kill it?"

"To live, we need to eat. We killed it so that we can eat, and for us to be able to eat meat, someone has to kill something, and something has to die. We killed it so that we can live."
 
Paige has been waiting to get to the range all week to test out her new Pink Rifle. Ruger 10/22 with bipod and 3-9x40 scope. She starts ABRA (Auto BenchRest Association) competition in the spring.

Posted to YouTube on Jan 14, 2017, by Decot Family Shooters

 
Got a rascal for my kids.
Put a home cheek riser on it because I found the comb even a touch low for the peep sights.
Also threw on a red dot until my youngest can get used to the peep sight
 
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